I tasted the Compass Box No Name No 1 and the Compass Box No Name No 2 blended malt Scotch whisky about 18 months ago and have not gotten around to capturing the tasting notes. Released in 2019, this is the second limited edition in the Compass Box No Name series. The third bottling in this series was released in 2021.
Like the Compass Box No Name No 1, the Compass Box No Name No 2 is a blended malt Scotch. It is made up of the following whisky:
– 75% from Caol Ila (Refill Sherry casks)
– 10.5% from Talisker (re-charred American oak hogshead)
– 13.5% Clynishlish (re-charred American oak hogshead)
– 0.5% Highland malt blend (French oak, heavy toast)
Also Read: Glenfiddich Gran Reserva 21 yo Whisky
Compass Box is a producer, bottler and marketer of a range of blended Scotch whiskies. It was founded in 2000 by American entrepreneur John Glaser, who was a former marketing director at Johnnie Walker. The Compass Box whiskies create quite a stir when they are released.
The bottlings have distinctive labels and provocative names. Some of my favourites include Hedonism and Spice Tree. Other releases include Peat Monster, Circus and The Spaniard.
Compass Box No Name No 2 Whisky Review
A total of 8,802 bottles were produced. The Compass Box whisky is non-chill-filtered, with natural colour.
REGION: Islay and Islands with some Highland
ABV: 48.9%
COLOUR: Honey hay
NOSE: Islay ocean breezes with peat, hints of salty fish, seaweed and smoke. Bits of honey sweetness and candy floss. There is tropical fruit in the background with red berries, oak and honey. Lovely and complex.
PALATE: Drying ash, peat and wood smoke with fruity sweetness. Like tropical fruit salad in a wooden bowl next to a bonfire on the beach. Malty goodness, hints of dark chocolate, honey and pepper. Oak spices and salt with bits of orange peel and nuts.
Lovely. I nearly finished my glass before putting in a few drops of water. The water soothes the peat and ash to bring more fruit to the front. Medium body elegance with a beautiful symmetry between the peat and the fruit.
FINISH: Long and drying with pepper spice, peat and fruit.
RATING: EXCELLENT
I enjoyed No Name No. 1 (and this is a reminder that I still need to capture my tasting notes), but Compass Box No Name No 2 is my favourite. The Compass Box No Name 1 had a significant portion of Ardbeg and was quite bold.
In comparison, No 2 is softer, slightly more delicate and sophisticated. Don’t let this fool you. The Caol Ila and Talisker bring a rich fruit and peat experience that is delicious and very approachable.
No Name No 2 is still available, and I see that WhiskyBrother&Co still have some available. It retails for around R2300. This bottle will make a wonderful gift for the peat lover in your life.
Also Read: Tobermory 10 yo Whisky
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